FAST Response to Orchard Park

Several Town of Hamburg fire companies, including Newton Abbott’s FAST, were called in support of firefighting efforts in the Orchard Park central district.

First-arriving units reported heavy smoke conditions in a multiple occupancy, which had not yet been evacuated. The fire, which apparently originated in a restroom, quickly spread and self-vented through the roof.

Extremely difficult conditions wrought by the now-famous 2014 polar vortex presented water supply, equipment, and human resources challenges to the firefighting effort. The FAST detailed some members to handline work after the operation was declared defensive by the incident commander.